On Growing older

Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we are here we might as well dance

i received the above line in an email today - some email chain letter thingy that i generally dump without reading.... BUT .. that line.. the last line in the email kinda .. sorta .. jumped out at me....

It made me think.... how often do we grumble and stumble cause this isn't what we were expecting from life??? (include stamp of foot with this one) and how it just isn't fair?? How often do we wander back down memory's lane and whine and complain cause if only we were younger. .if only we hadn't.. if we could just ....

i am as guilty as the next person with my what ifs and should haves and could haves... and god they are dragging me kicking and screaming into middle age (ok ok.. maybe just a tad beyond middle age) ......

i look in the mirror and don't recognize the person looking back at me... sometimes i swear it is my mother...... and what the devil is she doing in MY mirror??!!! where the hell is the youthful woman i know inside my head...

and other times when the bones creak and the knees crackle and the body just complains (loudly) i get a little sad that life is this much over.......... and i moan about how much of my life i have wasted....

Then i stop... pull myself up by the boot straps .. slap myself upside the head.. and remind myself that without all that went before ...... i would NOT be the person i am today! and know what?? i rather like the person i am today...... grumpy and cranky.. sexy and sensual.. playful and naughty.. happy bright and joyful.. sad and moody.....

i have my scars ... and i gently caress them .. reminding myself they are badges of honour ... in many ways.. of what life has dealt me and how i have managed to endure .. and move on.. and grow .. and best of all ....... LOVE...

And so i think .. i will keep on dancing as fast as i can.....

cause another little saying that hangs on my office wall says:

We do not quit playing because we grow old...... we grow old because we quit playing.